Garden Japan

By 1972, Elton John was already a rising star in America, although most casual listeners still identified him as part of the singer/songwriter explosion, thanks to the success of "Your Song" and "Levon." Honky Château changed all that, beginning with the success of "Honky Cat," a rousing New Orleans-ish R&B powerhouse that kicks off this terrific collection of songs. This was the album that first revealed John as a pure-pop craftsman, and he's all over the musical map on this set, moving from country-ish rock to blues-based rockers…

It seems as if Elton John was still settling on a discernable style on 1985's ICE ON FIRE. He brought in Gus Dudgeon, the architect of such elaborate, wide-screen productions as GOODBYE YELLOWBRICK ROAD, and his touch can be felt in the lush synthesized sound that dominates this record. Even the song credits, full of Simmons drums, synth-guitar, and Yamaha TX81C, attest to the slick production values…

Elton John has always liked having it both ways. He's flamboyant and vain, yet empathetic and sincere. He sits at his piano playing sentimental melodies, but the words come not from inside his soul but from friend Bernie Taupin. For Captain Fantastic, he and Taupin wrote a concept album which sketches their career together. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is easily the strongest song outside of the concept. The addition of several songs "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" featuring John Lennon, "Philadelphia Freedom," and "One Day at a Time" blow the concept but up the entertainment value considerably. ~ Rob O'Connor

While on first listen Michael Franks' Passion Fruit appears to convey a jazz fusion approach, the inclusion of such contributors as Naná Vasconcelos, Astrud Gilberto and Toots Thielemans actually shows it to be a further continuation of Franks' championing of Brazilian music, with a light and deft touch. As on his previous outing, for which he brought in guest vocalists (Bonnie Raitt, Luther Vandross and Randy VanWarmer), on this album he enlists vocalist Kenny Rankin as well as Gilberto. This time, though, the vocalists appear to be a more natural fit. "Amazon," "Rainy Night in Tokyo" and "How the Garden Grows" reveals some of his best writing in some time, while "Now That Your Joystick's Broke" wouldn't be out of place lyrically alongside some of his clever, earlier songs.

Seven Secrets is a pensive follow-up that shows the band stretching out into lengthy and varied suites like "Garden Lady." The album's dynamics can be a bit irritating at times – the production too often toys with very soft passages that may cut it in the symphony hall, but get tiresome anywhere else…

This one-off disco outing was recorded by Don Ray, an arranger who is best known for his work with disco maestros like Alec Costandinos and Cerrone (who produced this outing and also co-wrote many of the songs). It is a slick, ornate slab of Eurodisco that infuses its ornate orchestrations and pulsating rhythms with a layer of Kraftwerk-style programmed synthesizers…

Cheap Xmas: Donald Fagen Complete is a career-spanning compilation highlighting the undeniable musicianship of the GRAMMY Award-winning voice behind Steely Dan. This five-album set features his critically acclaimed works: The Nightfly, Kamakiriad, Morph The Cat, Sunken Condos and a bonus album of rarities. This is the definitive Fagen collection.

This self-titled album was Elton John's second and breakthrough release in America. Mr. John and Bernie Taupin had been collaborating for a few years, but they really started to gel as a team on this release. The album has almost a baroque sound to it with alot of strings, harpsicords and airy syntheseisers. Of course everyone knows the megahit "Your Song", but the album contains others that would become Elton John classics. "Sixty Years On" is a stirring lament about growing old, "The Greatest Discovery" is a sweet ode to the birth of a brother, while "The King Must Die" ends the album in dark epic fashion. "I Need You To Turn To" & "First Episode At Hienton" carry on in the somber-like tone. The album is dominated by, but not regulated to classical stylings…